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Show National Topics Interpreted Jlt by William Bruckart JjLLiSH National Press Bulldlns Washington, P. C. xg-Wtll Washington. Farm leaders, have gone before congress again to press a new agricultural Urge New program. Like Farm Programseveral that have ' come through in the last half-dozen years, the new proposition is based on a subsidy. The current program, like the old AAA, is predicated on agreements by which farmers will not do something some-thing and be paid for not doing it To obtain the subsidies from the federal treasury contemplated in the new farm legislation, farmers will have to sign contracts agreeing to curtail their acreages up to twenty twen-ty per cent of their average cultivation cultiva-tion for the last several years. If they fail or refuse to sign these contracts, the legislation describes them as not co-operating and, therefore, there-fore, they would be denied the right to obtain loans from the federal government gov-ernment and they would not have a guarantee of "parity prices," as a penalty. Moreover, those farmers who failed or refused to co-operate in this manner would be subjected to prohibitive taxes on the sale of products grown in excess of limits on totals to be prescribed by Secretary Secre-tary Wallace of the Department of Agriculture. The announced basis of this new program is for "conservation of the soil." Further, its sponsors contend that it will mean a gradual upbuilding upbuild-ing of the fertility of the soil so that, in the end, fewer acres will have to be cultivated to produce the same volume of corn or cotton or wheat or whatever other crop is grown. But I think there are few individuals individ-uals who will say that the above reasons honestly constitute the basis for this new farm legislation. I think it must be admitted that the ilan is only a subterfuge; that, while it may help some farmers by giving them cash, it is pure politics with cash as a sop. I am not one equipped to say that agriculture does not need a subsidy even though prices of farm products are now almost double what they were in 1933. It is entirely possible that farmers throughout the nation still need help in the form of cash. It may be the better part of wisdom to vote such payments as are contemplated con-templated in this new legislation. On the other hand, however, if there is that , need then let us be honest about it. President Roosevelt lately has signed a new law which provides subsidies to shipping companies in order that America may have its own merchant marine, but those payments are to be called subsidies. They are not disguised nor concealed. con-cealed. It seems ridiculous, therefore, there-fore, that the farm leaders should not be frank with the members of their organizations. If they feel that a subsidy is needed, why not put it up to congress that way so that those farmers who believe in subsidies sub-sidies as well as those who want to see agriculture left alone for awhile can understand what is going go-ing on. I imagine that the farm leaders who are sponsoring the new legisla-tion legisla-tion could scarce-Chose scarce-Chose ly have chosen a Bad Time worse time for presentation of their program. I mean that, in presenting this type of legislation when congress is undergoing a wave of economy, the program is likely to receive scant consideration. It always has been the case that legislation legis-lation goes through several stages of hauling and filling in congress with the result that after much debate de-bate a bill satisfactory to the majority ma-jority emerges. In presenting their program at this time, therefore, the farm leaders are not doing a very good job of leading. There will be much agitation on the part of the farm leaders that will get just nowhere no-where at all because of conditions in congress. Edward A. O'Neal; president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, Feder-ation, recently was quoted as saying that the new plan would not require any payments direct from the treasury; treas-ury; that is, it would pay its own way through the medium of taxes if it "works perfectly." That is the rub. I find doubt in nearly all quarters quar-ters that the plan can "work perfectly." per-fectly." It is so complex and requires re-quires such a bureaucracy for administration ad-ministration of it that to expect it to "work perfectly," is virtually to expect that legislation will control the veather. I think everyone will agree that congress and the administration admin-istration has not yet been able to find the formula for controlling the weather. I believe it can be said fairly that many farmers are dissatisfied with the soil conservation program adopted as a substitute for the AAA which the much criticized Supreme court held unconstitutional by a unanimous vote. Even those officials offi-cials of the Department of Agriculture Agricul-ture who are frank will admit that the soil conservation is not an eflec-tivt eflec-tivt means for controlling production. produc-tion. It does have merit as far as it goes in conserving the soil. But there is another phase: It has been pointed out too often almost to need repetition here that the soil con servation law, as occurred under the AAA, results in millions of dollars dol-lars being paid to individuals and corporations who are in no way participating par-ticipating in conservation activities. Now, while Mr. O'Neal thinks that the proposed law can be operated without expense to the federal treasury, treas-ury, there is yet the conviction in some quarters that it probably will cost about six hundred million dollars dol-lars a year to pay the subsidies and pay for administration of the law. Six hundred million dollars a year is a large sum at any time and it bulks much larger at a time when there is a nation-wide cry for a balanced budget for the federal government. It is a sum that, if the budget of the federal government otherwise were balanced, would be sufficient to frighten thousands of holders of United States bonds. It would seem then that the farm leaders ought to take into consideration consid-eration the status of the federal government's financial affairs if they want to develop a program that will live. I have heard from many students of agricultural problems prob-lems that the remedy for farm conditions con-ditions is not an expensive new system sys-tem of farm subsidies. They assert that it will be impossible for Uncle Sam to continue annual payments to some three million or more farmers farm-ers and they are convinced, further, that most farmers themselves objected ob-jected to being placed in the category cate-gory of relief clients. An argument is also advanced that more and more farmers believe federal policies poli-cies that cause money to be handed out free to farmers will, in the end, destroy the independence of agriculture. agri-culture. However that may be and however the majority of the farmers farm-ers feel about receiving money gratis gra-tis from the government at Washington, Wash-ington, it cannot be said that agriculture agri-culture is being placed on a sound footing by politicians and political farm leaders whose sole objective is to loot the treasury. The Department of Commerce which has supervision of airplane traffic has an-Air an-Air Pilots nounced that it Out of Races wil1 not permit American pilots to participate in an air race that was proposed for this summer. The race was to have taken place from New York to Paris, but the Department of Commerce has vetoed the plan unequivocally because it considers the race as nothing more than a stunt. It may occur to some that such a ruling by the Department of Commerce Com-merce constitutes an interference with private business beyond reason. rea-son. I cannot share that view. The Department of Commerce and its experts .have been unable to find in this proposed race any possibility of benefit for aviation nor any experimentation ex-perimentation that would lead to more scientific flying. It has taken the position that there is too great a danger involved for those pilots who are foolhardy enough to undertake under-take the three thousand two hun dred mile night across the ocean. Its position is further fortified with the argument that if any of the pilots should lose their lives in that type of aviation, it will cause many thousands of persons to lose faith in the airplane as a means of transportation. trans-portation. In short, the department thinks that there are only disadvantages disad-vantages and no advantages in prospect. While many persons may disagree with the position the department has taken, it is heartening to those of us who like to see private business encouraged, to know that a responsible respon-sible federal agency charged with supervision of a private industry is again functioning as it was intended to do. For several years, the Department De-partment of Commerce, with particular par-ticular respect to its aviation division, di-vision, has been in a state of turmoil. tur-moil. There were wide differences of opinion and in consequence little in the way of permanent development develop-ment was sponsored from Washington Washing-ton for the aviation industry. With the department's action in the New York to Paris race, one cannot help seeing the promise at least of an affirmative policy in the Department Depart-ment of Commerce. In criticizing the government's inactivity, in-activity, no observer would be fair unless he also called attention to the frailties and the failures of the industry in-dustry itself. It is true that some of the larger lines lately have made sensational improvements in the equipment they use in the air and in the operations part of flying. It is true that larger and better planes have been built and are building. But it is likewise true that a number of airlines have adopted penurious, penny pinching policies and have refused to replace re-place worn out and obsolete planes because they did not want to invest additional money. Until the air industry in-dustry awakens to the necessity for spending money and until the Department De-partment of Commerce becomes a smooth functioning supervisory agent, the air travel of this country will not even approach the limit of its capacity. Western Newspaper Union. |